Thermopile



ug. 4, E942.

W. H. KLIEVER i THERMOPILE Filed April 23, 1941 INVENTOR. Wulclo H.Klim-ven* A Horn 2y Patented ug. 4, 1942 vUNITED STATES.A PATENTori-'ICE THERMOPILE Waldo H. Kliever, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor toMinneapolis-Honeywell Regulator Company, Minneapolis, Minn., acorporation of Delaware Application April 23, 1941, Serial No. 389,945

(Cl. 13G-4) 7 Claims.

This'invention relates to thermocouples, and particularly tothermocouples adapted for use may be supportedl in a fixed position.-Suitable electrical insulating strips 22 and 23 are ploaced between thethermopile and the shield, .and also between the thermopile and the.burner I2.

If desired, the hot junctions of the thermopile may be protected againstthe corrosive effect of the flame by surrounding them with a metallic Afurther object is to provide, in a combined burner and thermopilestructure, improved means formaintaining the cold junctions of thether--l mopile at a relatively low, even temperature.`

Other objects of my invention, and the advantages attained with its use,will become apparent from a consideration of the attached specification,claims, and drawing, in which:

Figure 1 represents an elevation of a burner and thermocouplearrangement embodying my invention,

Figure 2 represents a. vertical section through the pilot burner ofFigure 1, and

Figure 3 represents a cross section taken on the line 3,-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 1 shows a main fuel burner I0 to which gas is supplied through aconnection not shown.

A bracket II attached to one" side of the main burner I carries a pilotburner I2. Pilot burner I2 is a generally tubular structure having a rowof oriiices I3 in one side thereof. Fuel is supplied through thelowerend of the tubular burner I2 and issues through the orlnces I3,being ignitedy outside-the orifices.

A thermopile generally indicated by the reference numeral I4 is mountedon the pilot burner I2. The thermopile I4 is of a generally helicallform and is wound aroundthe pilot burner I2 in such a manner that thehot junctions I5 of the thermopilel are substantially in front of theburner orificesl I3. The cold junctions I6 of the thermopile are heldclose to the back of the pilot burner I2 so as to maintain a good heatconducting contact with the burner structure.

A generally semi-cylindrical shield member encloses the cold junctionsI6 and holds them sleeve 2,4 of suitable heat conductingcharacteristics. 1

-The thermopile I4 consists of a plurality-of alternate sections ofdiil'erent thermoelectric characteristics, as is well known in the art.Each of these sections is welded tothe adjacent sections at a butt jointas 'shown at I5 and I6 in Figure 3these joints forming the hot and coldjunctions of the thermopile. It should be-apparent from the foregoingde-l scription that I have provided a thermopile which is compact inconstruction and readily adaptable to mountingy on a'conventional typeof fuel burner. It should also be apparent, since the hot junctions ofmy thermopile are exposed to the flame and since the cold junctions arearrangedv so that the heat is rapidly conducted away from them, that thestructure described enhances the temperature difference between the hotand cold junctions. My thermopile therefore produces an electromotiveforce which is high in comparison with electromotive forces producedby-similar devices of the prior art.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that my invention isreadily adaptable to modications other than thatV described herein, andI'therefore wish to be limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: v

1. In combination, a substantially tubular fuel burner having aplurality of orices along one v side thereof, and a thermopilecomprising a plurality of hot junctions connected in alternate serieswith a plurality of cold junctions, said thermopile being wound as ahelix about said burner with said hot junctions substantially in linewith said oriiices and said cold Junctions separated from said orificesby said burner. y

2. In combination, a substantially tubular fuel burner having at leastone orice for the escape of fuel therefrom, and a thermopile comprisinga plurality of'h'ot junctions connected in alternate 'series with aplurality of cold junctions. said ends of the shield 2t may be turnedover and` fastened to the burner l2 by welding or any other ysuitablemeans, in order that the thermopile with the burner name and the saidcold junguons -1-1,

thermopile being mounted on and surrounding the said burner with saidhot Junctions spaced from the burner and in heat conducting relationbeing located at points separated from said flame by a portion of saidburner.

3'. In combination, a substantially tubular fuel burnerhaving aplurality of orifices, a thermopile comprising a plurality of hotjunctions connected in alternate series with a plurality of coldjunctions, said thermopile being wound as a helix about said burner withsaid hot junctions substantially in line with said orifices and saidcold junctions substantially on the opposite side of said burner fromsaid orifices, and means supporting said thermocouple with said coldjunctions in heat conducting relation to said burner and with said hotjunctions spaced from said burner.

burner having a plurality of orifices along one side thereof, athermopile comprising a plurality of hot junctions connected inalternate series with a plurality of cold junctions, said thermopilebeing wound as a'helix about said burner with said hot junctionssubstantially in 'line with said orices and said cold junctionssubstantially on the opposite side of said burner from said orlces, anda heat-conductingshieldmember extending along said burner outside saidcold junctions, said shield member holding said cold junctions inheat-conducting relation with said shield and said burner.

5. In combination, a substantially tubular fuel burner having aplurality of orifices along one side thereof, a thermopile comprising aplurality of hot junctions connected in alternate series with aplurality of cold junctions, said thermopile being wound as a helixabout said burner with said hot junctions substantially in line with.

aannam said orifices and said cold junctions substantially on theopposite side 'of said burner from said oriiices, a heat-conductingshield member extending along said burner outside said cold junctions,said shield member holding said cold junctions ln heat-conductingrelation with said shield and said burner, and electrical insulationaround said cold junctions.

6. In combination, a substantially tubular fuel burner having 'aplurality of orifices for the escape of fuel therefrom, a thermopilecomprising a plurality of hot junctions connected in alternate serieswith a plurality of cold junctions, said thermopilebeing Wound aboutsaid burner with said hot junctions exposed to the heat from the iiam'esat said oriilces and said cold junctions remote from said flames, andmeans supporting said thermocouple with said cold junctions in heatconducting relation to said burner and with said hot junctions spacedtherefrom.

7. In combination, a substantially tubular fuel burner having a'plurality of orices along one side thereof, a thermopile comprising aplurality of hot junctions connected in alternate series with aplurality of cold junctions, said thermopile being wound as a helixabout said burner with said hot junctions substantially in line withsaid orifices and said cold junctions substantially on the opposite sideofA said burner from said orices, means supporting said thermocouplewith said cold junctions in heat conducting relation, to said burner andwith said hot junctions spaced therefrom, and electrical insulationbetween said cold junctions and said burner.

WALDo Yn. KLIEVER.

